Fresh smelling house...

I admit that one of the biggest adjustments, for me, with green cleaning is that I no longer had the familiar smells of a clean house; heavy pine scent, bleach, clorox, etc. Instead, after the intially faint smell of vinegar the first hour, I smell...well, nothing. So when I came across these homemade and safe recipes for room freshners, I thought I would share. Again, they are courtesy of Care2 website but I couldn't wait to share:

This couldn’t-be-easier recipe makes enough for five cups of mist, enough to share with a friend. Use liberally on non-staining surfaces or simply spray upward in the center of the room, being sure to avoid contact with eyes.

Ingredients:
Use an eyedropper to place the following in a small glass jar with a lid (a baby food jar is ideal)–
20 drops sweet orange essential oil
10 drops lavender essential oil
10 drops eucalyptus essential oil

Mix well. To use, add 4-8 drops of this base to one cup of purified or distilled water in a spray bottle, shaking to mix. Store in a cool, dark place.

Spicy Summer Potpourri

This potpourri looks lovely set out in a bowl, or stored in little potpourri bags.

Base: a combination of any or all of the following, thoroughly dried–
orange peel, marigolds, chrysanthemums, lavender, asters, Queen Anne’s lace, star anise seeds, cinnamon powder or sticks, whole or powdered cloves

Oil scents: a few drops each–
Sweet orange essential oil
Lavender essential oil
Clove essential oil

Sprinkle dried base with oils and mix well. Refresh base with a few drops of oil whenever needed.

Vanilla Odor Remover

The vanilla bean has properties that reduce odors! Try this super-easy trick for removing smells you don’t want:

Ingredients:
1 to 2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract

Just put the vanilla in a small cup anywhere you want air freshening.

Summery Stovetop Freshener

Mint is a wonderful freshener that gives an uplifting feeling to the atmosphere. You can use either fresh or dried mint in this formula.

Ingredients:
A handful of mint leaves
8 cups of water

Combine all the ingredients in a pan on the stove. Bring to a boil, and then turn down to a simmer. Replace the liquid when needed as it evaporates.

Cinnamon Trick

I have a small terra-cotta pot filled with ground cinnamon sitting near my desk. I get wafts of the sweet fragrance all day long.